January Book Club

Hostess: Kelly
Book: Easy by Tammara Webber
Food: Salad, Flat bread pizza with white sauce, green olives and black olives, chocolate-cream cheese cupcakes
Month: January
Wine of the Night: Apothic Red

The weather this winter has been crazy, but it seemed to have let up just enough to allow us to have book club. The temperature was cold but not in the negatives, and the snow had momentarily taken a break.

We trickled in, one by one, leaving our shoes by the door, grabbing a glass of wine, and choosing a seat in Kelly's living room. The living room at her house gives a feeling of a warm cave, with its thick walls and drawn curtains. It is cozy and safe feeling, and I curled into my spot on the couch immediately.

Mary was not in attendance, due to the miracle of birth! Our pregnant friend had her baby a week before, so of course could not make it to book club. I got to visit the munchkin, and he is super adorable!

Meet Baby Will!

Mary did call in, and talked to everyone for a minute via speakerphone about her thoughts on the book. 

After stuffing our faces, we got down to business. This book was New Adult, so it was on the young side for us, but we still enjoyed it. It definitely has a message, and I feel part of its mission is to educate and inform. Right away, in the first few pages of the book, the main character is nearly raped by someone she knows. The rest of the book is how she deals with it. She also has a love interest, who at first is everywhere and is creepy, but he really is a good guy. Anyway, the book is a quick and easy read, and could be used as a discussion opener regarding rape. 

While we sat in our little cave, the snow had started to fall again. We didn't know it, sitting in the closed up room, drinking wine and talking. When Kelly's husband came home with their five-year old daughter, he let us know that the roads were getting bad. Jennifer lives a bit further away, so she took off because of the weather. The rest of us hung out a bit longer, reluctant for the night to end. It has been hard to be cooped up, it was nice to get out and relax. Kelly's daughter wanted to join out book club, and brought out her Sammy the Seal book. I ended up reading it to her, because I love Syd Hoff and I actually wanted to read it again. Lol. After that, we wrapped up for the night, and all headed home, safe and sound. 

Next month is Mary's month. 

Book Review: Waking the Dead by Heather Graham

Title: Waking the Dead
Author: Heather Graham
Source: Library

From Graham's website:

In the case of Ghosts in the Mind by Henry Sebastian Hubert, that's more than just an expression. This painting is reputed to come to life—and to bring death. The artist was a friend of Lord Byron and Mary Shelley, joining them in Switzerland during 1816, "the year without a summer." That was when they all explored themes of horror and depravity in their art?.

Now, almost two hundred years later, the painting appears in New Orleans. Wherever it goes, death seems to follow.

Danielle Cafferty and Michael Quinn, occasional partners in solving crime, are quickly drawn into the case. They begin to make connections between that summer in Switzerland and this spring in Louisiana. Danni, the owner of an eccentric antiques shop, and Quinn, a private detective, have discovered that they have separate but complementary talents when it comes to investigating unusual situations.

Trying to blend their personal relationship with the professional lives they've stumbled into, they learn how much they need each other. Especially as they confront this work of art—and evil. The people in the portrait might be dead, but something seems to wake them and free them to commit bloody crimes. Cafferty and Quinn must discover what that is. And they have to destroy it—before it destroys them.

My Thoughts:

Once again, Graham has delivered a book that you can run away to when you to need a moment to yourself to unwind and relax. That being said, there are definitely some parts of this book that will give you the chills or make you look over your shoulder while reading it, especially if you are home alone at the time.

Michael Quinn and Dani Cafferty are reunited again in this book. It is the second in the Cafferty and Quinn series, the first book being Let the Dead Sleep. This time, the mystery involves a creepy painting on which are painted people in various murderous stages. A man with a gun behind his back, a kid with a toy sized guillotine chopping the head off of a doll who is screaming, among others.This painting was also said to have been painted when the artist was trying to impress the group of Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. We have all heard the origins of Frankenstein; this book builds on that story.

Graham references the Year Without a Summer in this book - it is the time in which this macabre yet creative group got together, and the painting was created in Waking the Dead. I knew that one summer, these literary geniuses got together and challenged each other to write scary stories, to match the weather outside. But I did not realize that this was a historical weather event, that there was a pervasive gloom across the globe, blocking the sun and causing snow in June, and famine. It was more than 100 years later that the cause was discovered: the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia. The Mount Tambora eruption is the worst volcanic eruption in the last 10,000 years - and those that lived through it (outside of the ones who were directly there) had no idea what was going on, why their worlds were so affected. I thought that this backstory was a great place for Graham to begin this book. Mysterious and I am sure some thought it was the end of days, it would have been the perfect environment for horror to breed in.

When this painting is moved to New Orleans, people start dying. Quinn and Cafferty are quick to figure out what is going on and what needs to be done, and do their best to save lives and to stop the murders entirely. There are even a few trips to Switzerland, to a creepy old mansion with a crypt.

My only issue is that something is missing in the relationship between Cafferty and Quinn. The basic formula is there for us to read, but I am not feeling a real connection between these two. Its almost there, but not quite. I feel more of a connection between Dani and Wolf, the dog, and Quinn and Wolf, than I do between Dani and Michael. And Wolf was definitely not in this book enough for me; poor guy was being shuffled around and left behind constantly. I of course am terrified every book that something will happen to him. Don't fear this book for that reason, if you are like me.

This book is pure escapism with a shot of fear. If you like to relax while reading a thriller supernatural mystery, this book is definitely for you. I know that I enjoyed it!

New Adventures in New Old Detroit

Saturday night, the wind was roaring through the streets of Detroit, tinged with icy cold. Snow was thick on the ground, and still falling. It should have been the perfect night to order in and watch movies. Instead, we chose to go out! We had an evening planned with my brother and his wife; we were going out to dinner, then to a new distillery in Detroit. Yep, distillery! The Two James Spirits Distillery is hailing itself as the first distillery in Detroit since Prohibition!

{Shamefaced Detroit bootleggers - PBS.org}

 Detroit was pretty active in the rum running business back then, in case you didn't know. There are tunnels under houses all along the river, even in the city I live in, that go back to the Volstead Act. Everyone has heard the legends of running alcohol across the Detroit river from Canada, winter or summer, by boat, or by car travelling across the ice! No thank you on that one! There was organized crime as well, a gang called The Purple Gang. 

Recently, the craft beer and cocktail culture in Detroit has been growing, with different breweries popping up here and there in the city. But Two James is the first of its kind - and is appropriately located in Corktown, the old Irish area of Detroit. And we weren't going to let a little snow and ice stop us from going!

Our first stop however was dinner, since you can't drink on an empty stomach! My brother has been wanting to try Supino Pizza, located in the Eastern Market area of Detroit, which services all the food warehouses and the big farmers market. My sister-in-law, who desperately hates the cold and whom I call "The Coldest Girl in Coldtown" since seeing the book with that title, said " There is not much worth going out for in this horrible cold, but pizza is one of those things."  

Supino is a little place, with a few scarred up wooden tables and chairs, most of them looking like like they came out of an old school somewhere, but this is all part of the charm. The entryway is loosely closed off from the door by a hanging curtain that doesn't like to stay closed, allowing in the horrendously cold air, and there are groups of people scattered about, waiting for their pizza or a table or both. We lucked out, and walked right up to the register to order. The cold had made us ravenously hungry, so we ended up ordering two large pizzas for four people. We took a seat at one of the taller tables, this one more like a butcher block table than an elementary desk table, and waited. The cashier told us it would be about 30 minutes, so we sat and chatted, all the while our stomachs grumbled from seeing the warm and gooey pizzas fly past us on the way to their destinations. The scent of cooking pizza, basil, oregano wafted from the back kitchen on little puffs of heat, warming us up just a little as well.  

In no time at all it seemed our pizzas arrived. My brother and his wife ordered the Supino pizza, which is chunks of roasted garlic, black olives, chili oil, ricotta, and mozzarella. Billy and I ordered the Verdue e Funghi, which has parsley, basil, mushrooms, mozzarella, smoked gouda, and parmigiano.

Our pizza. I didn't get a shot of the other pizza. 

It was amazing. The crust was perfect, thin and crispy, the cheese was perfect, and the slices wide. We all folded them in half to eat them, and I have to say we ate almost all of it.  After trading pieces between all of us, I hate to say, but we essentially demolished them both. Only one piece of the Supino was left, two of the mushroom. That was it.  In my opinion, the Supino pizza was just a bit better than our mushroom one, but I think I need that sharp tangy salty olive taste on my pizza. This place has been added to my favorite places, and I will be going again. Maybe sooner than later.

From Supino, we headed directly to Two James. We lucked out with a close parking spot, and entered the old warehouse/distillery. We arrived pretty early, and there were not many people there yet. There is a big circle bar in the very center of the room, with just a few tables, maybe three off against one wall, so seating is limited. It was decorated in a minimal fashion, in shades of brown and huge art pieces on the wall. The best feature are the barrels that line practically a whole wall; through them (and glass) you can see into the actual distillery on the other side. It has that new feel, that unbroken in feel, still, only having been opened a few months. 

Moscow Mule 

We took a seat at the bar and ordered. Chrissy and I ordered their Moscow Mules, made from their own 28 Island Vodka. The weather outside was making me think of Moscow in winter, and the drink felt appropriate. It was pretty good, and had that breathtaking quality I love in them from the ginger. Devin ordered a Corktown Flip, while Billy ordered the Sazerac. The don't have a cocktail menu online yet, and I don't remember what was in Devin's, so I apologize.

Sazerac

By the next round, the place was really filling up. A woman came in with a bakery box, and took a seat at the bar. Our bartender went over to talk to her, and came back with slices of fresh baked brownie. The woman had loved their Grass Widow Bourbon so much, that she was inspired to incorporate it into her brownies. They were delicious! Two James should consider adding them to the menu.  The bartender also heard me say that I didn't like gin drinks, and presented me with a shot glass full of their own Old Cockney Gin. And I have to say, it wasn't bad! I hate gin usually, its like swallowing a Christmas tree, but their version was much smoother and distilled from heavy juniper. It could almost make me a gin drinker!

Springtime for Hoffa

This time, I went crazy and ordered the Springtime for Hoffa. It was made with their Grass Widow Bourbon, their limited reserve Apple Brandy, and currant jam, notably. It was amazing and maybe one of the best drinks I have had ever. The Apple Brandy was from a small batch they had distilled from local apples, and was a tester type batch. I hope they make more of it next year, because it was good! At this point, the bar was packed full. The auto show is going on in Detroit, so we have a lot of people in town for the show. I ended up talking to a man from South Africa who works for Honda; he asked advice on what drink to get. I emphatically recommended the Springtime for Hoffa. He took my suggestion, and he and everyone in his group loved it too. 

The distillery offers their own brand of vodka, bourbon, gin and rye whiskey currently. They also make their own vinegars and shrubs, such as beet and carrot, apple pie, and fig. You can visit on a weekend and drink in their tasting room, or you can opt to sign up for a tour. We will for sure be signing up for a tour in the future. Two James was a great place to spend a few hours on a cold night! They have great drinks, some pricey while others are less so, but not much seating, and it is hard to get service at times in the night due to how busy it gets. Overall it was a great experience, and a win for Detroit!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, that is guaranteed to add to your reading list. 

I think I am beginning to achieve a balance between work, classes, and my personal life, including this blog. I have a plan and I am going to stick to it! I also got my first assignment back in one of my classes, and was happy to have aced it! 

Read Last Week:

  

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith: Loved this coming of age story. I found it perfect for the weather too. My review.

Waking the Dead by Heather Graham: This was another fun supernatural mystery by Graham. Review Wednesday.

Reading this Week:

 

Snowblind by Christopher Golden: This book just seems appropriate given the crazy winter we are having here in Michigan. We are supposed to have another polar vortex and -35 temps this week, just when I plan to read this book. 

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen: Because she is amazing and everything she writes is as well.

Book Review: I Capture the Castle

Title: I Capture the Castle
Author: Dodie Smith
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary:

During six turbulent months in 1934, 17-year-old Cassandra Mortmain keeps a journal, filling three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries about her home, a ruined Suffolk castle, and her eccentric and penniless family. By the time the last diary shuts, there have been great changes in the Mortmain household, not the least of which is that Cassandra is deeply, hopelessly, in love. 





My Thoughts:

I think if I would have read this book as a child, I would have spent hours upon hours daydreaming about being Cassandra Mortmain. I would have written in my journals with my feet in the sink, and re-enacted my own Midsummer rites. Most of all, I would have daydreamed about living in a crumbling castle with the the eccentric Mortmains. Even though I did not read it years ago, I was still caught up in the idea of it all.

It is a book that is whimsical yet set against poverty. Cassandra begins the novel as a girl, with her head in the clouds and feet in the sink, enjoying the eccentricities of her family and their condition. There is a sense of family togetherness, that despite not having enough to eat, the good times out the bad things. Cassandra is able to look past all of these, and goes about her days reading and writing with her dog Heloise faithfully beside her, plotting and planning the family's return to financial security. Will Rose marry well? Will Topaz get another commission in London to sit for an artist's painting? Cassandra herself plans on raising her family from their impoverished state by writing. They all cross their fingers and tiptoe around Mr. Mortmain, hoping that one of these days while he is locked in his office, he will be struck by inspiration, and write another novel. Although you know that this family does not have much, it never seems depressing or dire. They have a warm togetherness, that spirit of making it through and making do as a family.

This all starts to change when two rich American's bump into town, after inheriting the nearby Scoatney Hall, and become the new landlords of the Mortmain castle. Simon, the older brother, has more money, and therefore Rose sets her cap for him, regardless of the fact of whether she actually could love him. Eventually, through a series of different events and escapades, Simon does fall in love with Rose, and asks her to marry him. This is all wine and roses, until the night that Simon visits the castle, and Cassandra is the only one about. She is about to begin her Midsummer rituals, and Simon joins her. They spend a wonderful night talking and drinking a little wine, and consequently Simon kisses her, a friendly little kiss. Cassandra falls instantly madly in love with Simon, and although she can't tell anyone her feelings, she is a little obsessed with him. When this happened, I felt like Cassandra was going to have a little crush and move on. But that is not what happened.

A little sidebar here: And then there is Stephen, the loyal family servant who is like a member of the family. Poor Stephen, who in my opinion is treated shabbily the whole book. Stephen is described as extremely handsome (and must be because Henry Cavill plays him in the movie), and he is in love with Cassandra. Any extra that he earns, he uses to buy food for the Mortmains or to buy little things he thinks Cassandra needs. He wants to take care of her, and has a huge generous heart. The most heartbreaking part of the book: Stephen, who works hard for his money, buys Cassandra a small radio for her birthday; later that day she gets a fancy gramophone radio thing from Simon. It wounds Stephen, who says he had the privilege of earning it for her. I did not like where Stephen ended up in the story, it just seemed like he deserved better ending.

Back to the Mortmains: Once Simon and Rose are engaged, the entire family and their dynamics change. Money splits this close knit family, taking them from their castle, where they may not have money but they were together, and scatters the family here and there, all doing their own thing. Topaz and Rose move off to London with the Cottons, and Mortmain spends half his time there as well, speaking with Mrs. Cotton, Simon's mother. Stephen is off working as a model and hopeful actor in London, and Cassandra and Thomas are in residence at the castle, sometimes with their dad. Everything has changed Cassandra; she is no longer lost in daydreams, but sees things as the realities they are. She has taken off the rose colored glasses she viewed the world through, and works on righting the wrongs that she sees, but not without making a few missteps herself.

I enjoyed this book a lot. When I first started reading it in October, I just couldn't get into it, I was in the mood for something scary. But I couldn't let the Mortmain's go, I had to know what happened to this family. January was the perfect time to read it, all snuggly in my slippers, the slight draft in my house matching the chill of the castle. This book is romantic, a coming of age story, and  perfectly cozy for the winter.

Nonfiction Reading Challenge

The Nonfiction Reading Challenge 

I always participate in the Introverted Reader's Southern Lit Challenge, and this year I decided to switch it up. Instead of participating in the southern challenge, I am choosing to participate in the Nonfiction Reading Challenge instead! I am not the best at reading nonfiction, so my goal is to at least make the "Explorer" level, which is 6-10 nonfiction books. 

I am looking forward to challenging my reading this year!

It's Monday What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey!

I am a little late today, I came down with a really bad cold last night. I am feeling a bit better this morning. :)

Read Last Week:

The $64 Tomato by William Alexander: I enjoyed the book until it started to get dark. Review is linked in the title.

Easy by Tammara Webber: This is our book club book. It was better than I thought!

Reading This Week:

  

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith: I started this book a few months ago, and now I am going to finish it. Lol.

Waking the Dead by Heather Graham: Another book I need to finish.